The invention relates to a device for applying on a surface a correction tape having an application side and a write-on side, to a correction tape adapted to be used in such a device, as well as to a correction tape.
Hand-held devices for applying a correction tape on a surface or hand-held correction device (referenced herein as a tape applicator for the sake of convenience without any intent to limit), typically comprise a casing in which two spools are housed. One of the spools serves as a supply spool for the correction tape and the second spool serves as a take-up spool for a backing portion of the tape which is fed back into the casing. The correction tape is guided around an application tip which is pressed against an application surface (usually paper) in operation to apply a coating of the correction tape on said surface. Therefore, the application element separates the correction coating layer from the backing tape. The correction coating layer is adhesive such that it sticks fixedly on the application surface.
At the beginning, the known tape applicators had quite large dimensions. As such, they were quite cumbersome for the user to operate. Therefore, it had always been the general trend to reduce the outer dimensions of the casing of hand-held devices in an ergonomic way. A pen shape is supposed to be ideal as users are used to such a shape. The lower limit for the dimensions of the casing of a hand-held correction device are determined by the size of the spools and the tape dimensions, particularly the length of the tape. As for a commercial product, a certain minimum length of the correction tape is required, there are correspondingly lower limits for the dimensions, i.e., the diameter of the spools.
Further, it is to be noted that, according to the prior art, a backing tape is used for the correction tape, the thickness of the correction tape can be hardly further reduced.
A tape applicator as described above is for example known from WO97/12827. This known tape dispenser has a housing accommodating a tape. The tape consists of a carrier ribbon carrying a coating of a composition. The housing also accommodates used carrier ribbon from which the composition has been removed. The supply of tape is held in elongated rear wound around a pair of spaced apart and independently rotatable spool members. In known correction tape applicators, generally separate tape supply and take up spools are provided within the casing, and the two spools are linked by a drive mechanism so that a tape is drawn for use from the supply spool, and the take up spool is rotated to wind up the used carrier ribbon or backing tape. Also, as the rotational speeds of the spools are not the same, some form of clutch mechanism is usually demanded. The need for a clutch mechanism further increases the manufacturing costs which is a disadvantage, especially as most tape applicators are intended to be discarded after the initial tape supply has been used up. Because when first manufactured and used essentially all the tape is carried by the supply spool, whereas at final use the supply spool is empty and all the carrier ribbon is wound onto the take up spool, the respective spools require considerable space within the casing which also serves as a handle for the tape applicator during use. Consequently, the length of tape which can be supplied in a tape applicator is limited if the body is not to become large and, as a result, make the tape applicator cumbersome and inconvenient to use. This drawback is especially acute where it is designed to provide a tape applicator with a slim elongated body or handle to enable it to be held similar to a way in which a pen or marker is held in the hand.
The present invention provides for a technique allowing for a dimensional reduction of the casing of a hand-held correction device by omitting the separation of the correction coating layer and the backing tape at the application tip or element. As there is no backing tape separated from the correction coating layer at the application element, there is no requirement for feeding back a backing tape into the casing and therefore a take-up spool, as required in the prior art, can be omitted.
Moreover, in accordance with the principles of the present invention a hand-held device for applying a correction tape on a surface is provided with correction tape that has an application side and a write-on side.
The device may include a cut-off/separating element in the vicinity of the application element for cutting-off/separating the correction tape once the application operation is completed. The cut-off/separating device is operative when the device is lifted off the application surface and inoperative when the device is pressed against the application surface.
The cut-off/separating device is positioned slightly behind the contact region of the application element on the application surface.
The application element and the cut-off/separating device can be displaceable relative to each other such that they can assume a first inoperative position in which they are distanced from each other, as well as a second operative position in which they are in contact with each other with the correction tape interposed therebetween.
A mechanism can be provided for advancing the correction tape from a cutoff/separating position to the contact region of the application element before use of the device. The tape advancing mechanism can be operated manually. The application element can be a roller.
The bearing axis of the roller can be elastically displaceable in a direction being essentially perpendicular to the application surface during operation of the device.
In the lift-off state of the device, the roller can be biased against the cutoff/separating device.
The correction tape can be guided around the portion of the circumference of the roller.
The surface of the roller can be such that the correction tape sticks on it in a releasable manner. At least the surface region of the roller can be made of rubber or similar material. Additionally, or alternatively, the back side of the tape can be such that it sticks on the application element in a releasable manner.
The stock of the correction tape can be wound on a supply spool and a braking force can be applied to the supply spool to prevent slacking of the correction tape.
The bearing of the supply spool can be designed such as to exert a braking force on the supply spool.
The supply spool can be arranged on the rear side of the casing.
According to another aspect, a correction tape for a hand-held device adapted to be used in a device as said forth above is proposed.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, a correction tape for a hand-held correction device is proposed having a first side and a second side, the first side being an application side or layer and the other side being a write-on side or layer.
Additionally, a reinforcing intermediate layer can be interposed between the application layer and the write-on layer.